HD 

34-84- 


:-NRLF 


SB    236 


(    1ASH   INDUSTRY 


Gl  Ri  IAN  KA1  ,  WORKS 


IV.  OF   CAL 

i  XJ'-T.   :.T;  .  Lirr, 


AGRiC,  DEPT, 


THE 

POTASH  INDUSTRY 


Published  By 

GERMAN  KALI  WORKS,  Inc. 

1901  McCormick  Bldg. 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


Every  farmer    can  obtain,  free  of  charge,  a  copy  of 
the  following  agricultural  books: 

Principles  of  Profitable  Farming 
Potash  in  Agriculture 

Farmer's  Note  Book 

Cotton  Culture 

Tobacco  Culture 

Orange  Culture 

Strawberry  Culture 
Fertilizing  Peaches 

Tropical  Planting 

Fertilizing  Tobacco 

Muck  Lands 

Sugar    Cane  Culture 

Sugar  Beet  Culture 
The  Cow  Pea 

Plant  Food 

Truck  Farming 

Why  the  Fish  Failed 

Potash  Pays 

Value  oj  Swamp  Lana 
I'  c<  \  Fall  Fertilizers 

State  which  one  of  ihe  above  mentioned  publications 
you  desire,  and  it  will  be  mailed  co  you  free  of  charge. 

ADDRESS 

GERMAN  KALI  WORKS,  Inc. 

CHICAGO,  ATLANTA,  GA.,  NEW  YORK, 

1901  McCorraick  Bldg.        1212  Empire  Bldg.  42  Broadway 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL.,  NEW  ORLEANS,  LA., 

260  Hansford  Block  Whitney  Bank  Bldg. 


*  *"«•  V 

-  . .;, 


Preface 


THOUSANDS  of  American  farmers  use  potash.  Hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  them  should  use  it,  both  for 
their  own  present  and  future  profit  and  to  prevent  their 
posterity  from  receiving  a  heritage  of  "worn  out"  soils. 
But  ashes — once  the  most  common  source  of  potash — are 
no  longer  to  be  had  in  quantity.  Our  forests  are  now 
cleared  and  the  ash  heap  of  the  pioneer  is  a  thing  of  the 
past,  while  wood  as  a  fuel  for  factories  and  railroads  has 
been  replaced  by  coal  and  oil.  Where,  then,  shall  we  turn 
for  our  needs  of  potash? 

Man  seldom  feels  a  pressing  and  continuous  need  which 
Nature  does  not  meet — and  such  has  been  the  case  with 
potash.  Within  the  fifty  years  which  measure  alike  a 
rapidly  increasing  demand  for  it  and  the  practical  dis- 
appearance of  the  old  source  of  supply,  there  has  been 
found,  in  one  of  Nature's  storehouses,  an  inexhaustible 
accumulation  of  potash.  To  the  discovery  of  the  potash 
deposits  the  term  fortunate  can  be  applied,  since  it  came 
in  time  to  meet  need ;  but  the  storing  of  the  potash,  when 
one  considers  the  importance  of  this  element  for  the  wel- 
fare of  our  fields  and  its  necessity  in  maintaining  the  food 


supply  for  the  rapidly  increasing  population  of  the  world, 
the  storing  we  rrmst  »:afi  providential.  The  processes  of 
Nature,  by  which  this  accumulation  was  made  possible,  are 
marvelous,  and  the  methods  which  man  has  devised  to 
utilize  the  store  and  convert  it  into  forms  best  suited  to 
the  diverse  requirements  of  his  fellows  are  ingenious.  The 
many  inquiries  which  arise  concerning  potash  in  its  varied 
forms,  prove  that  its  users  are  interested  in  its  history; 
therefore,  this  little  sketch  has  been  prepared  to  meet  the 
friendly  wishes  of  those  who  already  appreciate  potash. 
The  story  is  interesting  and  those  who  read  it  will  derive 
pleasure  and  profit 


Historical  Sketch 

THE  town  of  Stassfurt,  near  the  Harz  mountains  in 
northern  Germany,  has  been,  for  many  centuries, 
noted  for  its  salt  works.  There  in  the  early  days  of  his- 
tory, common  salt  was  obtained  by  evaporating  the  water 
from  its  salt  springs,  and  later,  from  its  wells,  but  when 
mines  of  rock  salt  were  discovered  in  other  parts  of  Ger- 
many, the  evaporation  process  for  making  salt  was  aban- 
doned partly  because  the  brine  from  the  springs  and  wells 
generally  contained,  beside  table  salt,  the  salts  of  potash 
and  magnesia.  About  sixty  years  ago,  the  Prussian  Gov- 
ernment, which  owned  the  mines  at  Stassfurt,  began  boring 
for  rock  salt,  and  in  1857  found  it  in  immense  quantities 
1,080  feet  below  the  surface.  Immediately  above  this  rock 
salt  are  deposits  of  various  potash  and  magnesia  min- 
erals, at  first  considered  of  little  value  and  actually  thrown 
away  as  worthless,  but  later  destined  to  supply  the  world 
with  potash.  The  agricultural  value  of  potash  became 
generally  known  about  1860,  through  the  researches  of  that 
eminent  scientist,  Prof.  Justus  von  Liebig,  and  in  1861 
the  first  works  for  refining  crude  potash  minerals  was  es- 
tablished at  Stassfurt.  Stimulated  by  the  success  attained 
in  the  use  of  potash  as  a  fertilizer,  the  industry  of  mining 
and  manufacturing  its  salts  has  grown  to  enormous  pro- 
portions ;  new  deposits  have  been  discovered  and  mines 
opened,  until  today  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
large  mining  establishments  in  active  operation. 


Origin  of  the  Salt  and  Potash  Deposits 

r  |i  HE  German  salt  and  potash  beds  were  formed  (or 
*"  deposited)  in  ancient,  geologic  times.  Long  before 
history  began,  these  minerals  were  laid  in  place  by  the 
evaporation  of  sea  water  confined  in  lakes,  which,  some- 
what like  the  Dead  Sea  and  Baikal  Lake,  were  without 
outlet.  These  lakes  were  connected,  however,  with  the 
ocean  by  channels,  ordinarily  dry,  but  through  which 
the  sea  water  was  forced  at  times  by  great  storms  and 
tides.  In  this  way  fresh  supplies  of  salt  were  received 
into  these  lakes,  and  as  the  climate  of  Europe  was  trop- 
ical during  this  formative  period,  the  surface  evapora- 
tion of  the  water  was  exceedingly  rapid.  As  the  water 
levels  of  these  lakes  thus  sank,  fresh  supplies  washed  in 
from  the  sea,  holding  in  solution  then,  as  now,  many  salts. 
Evaporation  carries  off  only  pure  water,  so,  in  course  of 
time,  as  more  salts  were  entering  the  lakes  and  none  going 
out,  the  water  became  saturated  with  salts  until  those 
least  soluble  in  water  began  to  separate  from  the  more 
soluble  ones  and  deposit  themselves  in  more  or  less  uni- 
form strata.  By  such  continued  evaporation  and  ever 
increasing  concentration,  immense  layers  of  rock  salt  and 
anhydrit  (sulfate  of  lime)  were  formed. 

As  the  rock  salt  separated  and  the  concentration  be- 
came greater,  other  more  soluble  salts  began  to  deposit 
and  cover  it,  layer  upon  layer,  up  through  the  mineral 


Origin  of  the  Salt  and  Potash  Deposits  1 

polyhalit,  which  is  composed  of  sulfate  of  lime,  potash 
and  magnesia, — kieserit,  which  is  sulfate  of  magnesia, — 
and  the  "potash  region,"  the  stratum  of  carnallit,  a  com- 
pound of  chlorids  of  potassium  and  magnesium.  This 
last  named  stratum  ranges  from  50  to  130  feet  in  thick- 
ness, and  supplies  the  crude  salts  from  which  the  most  im- 
portant and  concentrated  potash  salts  are  refined. 

From  thus  referring  to  strata  it  does  not  follow  that 
these  deposits  are  in  smooth,  clear-cut  layers.  From  time 
to  time,  as  additional  water  came  in  from  the  sea,  the  lake 
water  became  so  diluted  that  precipitation  was  arrested 
to  a  certain  extent,  and,  later  had  to  commence  again ; 
thus  anhydrit  is  found  in  the  rock  salt  strata,  and  seams 
of  rock  salt  in  the  polyhalit  and  other  upper  layers.  Pot- 
ash and  magnesia  salts  are  the  most  soluble  and,  therefore, 
naturally  found  at  the  tops  of  the  deposits. 

Had  these  deposits  been  exposed  to  the  action  of  rain 
water  they  would  have  been  dissolved,  but  they  were  pro- 
tected during  geologic  changes  by  a  covering  of  "salt 
clay"  impervious  to  water.  The  depth  of  the  potash  and 
salt  deposits  from  the  top  of  the  upper  to  the  bottom  of 
the  lowest  stratum  is  some  5,000  feet.  The  beds  underlie 
the  extensive  country  reaching  approximately  to  Thur- 
ingia  on  the  south,  to  Hanover  on  the  west  and  to  Meck- 
lenburg on  the  north,  and  in  recent  years  deposits  were 
discovered  and  mines  opened  in  Elsass. 

These  deposits,  in  the  order  of  their  placing,  follow 
well  understood  physical  and  chemical  laws ;  and  yet  local 
conditions  and  geologic  disturbances  fixed  the  relative  po- 


8  Origin  of  the  Salt  and  Potash  Deposits 

sitions  of  strata  and  account  for  more  or  less  apparent 
disturbances  as  shown  by  the  diagram  on  page  9.  At  a 
few  places  surface  water  found  access  through  cracks  or 
fissures,  and  either  carried  away  the  potash  salts  or 
changed  them  into  secondary  products ;  from  which  action 
in  the  upper  strata  occur  beds  of  kainit,  sylvinit,  hard- 
salt  and  other  compounds  of  less  importance. 

This  description,  somewhat  tedious  to  unscientific  read- 
ers, becomes  of  surpassing  interest  when  the  enormous  im- 
portance of  the  formation  is  considered.  But  for  these 
peculiar  geologic  conditions  (conditions  generally  termed 
accidental)  these  potash  deposits  could  not  have  been 
formed ;  and  vast  tracts  of  agricultural  lands,  now  made 
fertile  and  productive  by  the  use  of  potash  from  this  in- 
exhaustible store,  would  be  sterile  and  barren  for  want  of 
it.  There  is  no  question  as  to  this  scientific  fact,  and 
thoughtful  readers  may  well  again  peruse  the  story  of 
these  wonderful  deposits  and  question  whether  a  formation 
— all  but  a  creation — of  such  importance  to  the  human 
race,  can  be  considered  a  mere  chance, — a  simple  accident 
of  nature. 

Description  of  the  Salts 

SALT  is  the  chemical  name  for  a  compound  composed 
of  an  acid  joined  to,  or  combined  with,  a  base.  For 
example,  burnt  lime  is  a  base,  which,  in  combination  with 
sulphuric  acid,  forms  a  salt  called  sulfate  of  lime;  simi- 
larly the  base  sodium  combined  with  hydrochloric  acid 
forms  the  salt,  sodium  chlorid.  This  last  is  the  compound 


Section  of  a  Potash  Mine 


THE   DEPTH    OF  THE   MINING    GALLERIES    IS    EXPRESSED   IN    METERS  J    1    METEB 
EQUALS    3.281    FEET 


10  Description  of  the  Salts 

to  which,  popularly,  the  word  "salt"  is  applied,  for 
sodium  chlorid  is  our  common  table  salt,  but  chemically 
the  term  is  a  general  name  for  compounds  produced  as 
described  above.  The  potash  deposits  contain  various 
salts  and  combinations  of  salts,  many  of  which  contain 
little  or  no  potash.  Those  most  important  as  potash  pro- 
ducers, are  Carnallit,  Kainit  and  Hardsalt. 

Carnallit  is  a  double  compound  of  muriate  of  potash 
and  magnesium  chlorid  with  the  chemical  formula :  KC1, 
MgCL,  6H2O,  is  the  chief  source  of  muriate  of  potash  and 
other  concentrated  salts,  and  usually  occurs  mixed  with 
rock  salt,  kieserit,  and  other  minerals  in  layers  averaging 
more  than  85  feet  in  thickness.  The  color  varies,  and 
shades  through  white,  bright  to  dark  red,  yellow,  and 
light  to  dark  gray,  to  a  watery  hue.  In  a  strong  clear 
light  the  brilliancy  of  carnallit  crystals  and  their  varied 
colorings  give  to  its  mine  galleries  a  strikingly  beautiful 
effect.  Carnallit  as  mined  contains  about  9  per  cent,  of 
actual  potash.  In  its  crude  state  it  is  used  as  a  fertilizer 
only  in  localities  which  are  not  very  far  from  the  mines ; 
because  from  its  property  of  absorbing  water,  and  its 
bulk  as  compared  with  the  small  percentage  of  potash 
which  it  contains,  it  is  more  expensive  than  the  concen- 
trated salts,  where  cartage  or  freight  has  to  be  considered. 
The  deposits  of  carnallit  are  generally  intersected  by  rock 
salt  and  often  by  other  minerals,  and  are  so  vast  in  extent 
as  to  be  practically  inexhaustible. 

Kainit  is  a  mineral  compound  of  chlorid  of  potassium 
and  sulfate  of  magnesium  (KC1,  MgSO4,  3H2O).  The 
commercial  product  does  not  denote  a  mineral  of  definite 


Description  of  the  Salts  H 

composition  but  a  mixture  varying  in  composition  accord- 
ing to  the  mines  from  which  it  is  obtained  and  fluctuates  in 
composition  even  when  coming  from  the  same  mine.  For 
this  reason  the  potash  works  guarantee  only  the  minimum 
amount  of  pure  potash — 12  % — and  no  guarantee  is  given 
for  the  form  in  w^hich  the  potash  is  present  or  the  amount 
of  other  concomitants.  It  occurs  in  irregular  deposits, 
and  is  usually  red  and  more  or  less  mixed  with  rock  salt,  of 
which  it  contains  about  30  per  cent.  In  its  crude  state 
it  is  largely  used  as  a  fertilizer,  after  being  crushed  and 
ground.  Most  of  the  kainit  is  sold  in  its  natural  state 
for  fertilizing  purposes,  although  a  considerable  part  is 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  high  grade  sulfate  of  potash 
and  other  concentrated  products. 

Hardsalt  is  similar  to  kainit  in  composition  but  contains 
less  water  of  crystallization.  It  is  essentially  a  mixture 
of  chloride  of  potassium,  sulfate  of  magnesium  and  chlo- 
rid  of  sodium  and  its  composition  is  very  varied.  As  an 
article  of  commerce  hardsalt  is  guaranteed  to  contain 
16  per  cent,  of  potash  (K2O)  and  its  uses  in  agriculture 
are  identical  with  those  of  kainit. 

Of  these  three  crude  potash  salts  only  kainit  and  hard- 
salt  are  used  in  the  United  States ;  on  account  of  the 
freight  rates  the  results  obtained  from  the  concentrated 
forms  of  potash  as  a  rule  pay  better.  Kainit  is  exten- 
sively used  in  the  Coast  Line  States,  not  only  as  a  fer- 
tilizer, but  also  as  a  manure  preservative,  to  check  at- 
tacks of  injurious  insects,  and  as  a  remedy  against  cot- 
ton disease  (blight).  For  such  purposes  it  is  cheap  and 
satisfactory  and  likely  to  be  used  in  increasing  quantities. 


Mining  the  Salts 

THE  potash-bearing  strata,  from  1,200  to  3,500  feet 
below  the  earth's  surface,  are  reached  by  ordinary  mine 
shafts.  In  sinking  these  shafts,  great  care  is  taken  to 
preserve  unbroken  the  cap  materials  impervious  to  water, 
and  thus  to  prevent  the  highly  soluble  potash-bearing  salts 
from  being  rapidly  leached  or  washed  away  by  the  sur- 
face waters.  This  inflow  of  water  is  made  impossible  by 
sinking  iron  tubes  or  lining  the  shafts  with  concrete. 
Water  is  the  great  danger  in  potash  mining,  and  has 
destroyed  valuable  mines.  Generally  potash  mines  have 
a  reserve  or  emergency  shaft,  some  distance  from  the 
working  shaft,  protected  by  strong  safety-pillars.  An- 
other mining  difficulty  is  the  "pillaring"  or  supporting 
the  mine-roof  as  its  mineral  supports  are  cut  away. 
Formerly  pillars  of  carnallit  or  other  salts  were  left  for 
this  purpose,  but  they  disintegrated  so  rapidly  as  to  be 
dangerous,  and  the  safer  system  was  adopted  of  com- 
pletely filling  up  the  excavations  with  the  waste  salts  and 
rock  salt.  Within  the  mines,  potash  salts  are  broken  down 
by  blasting  as  in  ordinary  mining.  In  many  of  the  works, 
electricity  is  used  for  motor  power  and  in  lighting.  The 
mines  are  necessarily  kept  perfectly  dry,  and  visitors  are 
free  from  the  inconvenience  and  discomfort  usual  to  un- 
derground workings.  The  carnallit  blastings  tear  off  large 
blocks  which  are  broken  up  by  the  miners  and  transported 
in  small  cars  to  the  shafts,  thence  to  be  hoisted  to  the 
surface  and  delivered  to  the  chemical  works  for  grinding 
and  further  treatment. 


I 


I 


Manufacturing  the  Concentrated  Salts 

AS  has  been  intimated,  at  the  mines  are  extensive  and 
completely  equipped  chemical  works  which  refine  the 
crude  salts  and  separate  their  constituents  into  products 
best  suited  to  the  various  chemical  industries.  A  most  im- 
portant feature  of  the  refining  is  the  reduction  in  weight 
by  rejecting  useless  constituents  of  the  salts,  thus  securing 
the  valuable  potash  in  a  small  bulk ;  an  essential  consid- 
eration for  the  man  who  pays  the  freight  or  handles  the 
products.  Yet  to  refine  closely  is  an  expensive  process, 
and  much  study  and  great  care  are  necessary  to  balance 
properly  the  amount  of  concentration  against  the  diverse 
uses  and  the  cost  of  shipping  and  handling  the  various 
materials.  In  estimating  the  quantity  of  potash  in  the 
different  products,  chemists  are  accustomed  to  make  use 
of  the  term  "actual  potash,"  that  is,  oxide  of  potassium 
(K2O).  The  object  of  this  is  to  establish  a  basis  of  com- 
parison of  all  potash  salts;  therefore,  when  "potash"  is 
named  in  potash  products,  it  is  understood  that  the  word 
refers  to  the  amount  of  actual  potash  and  not  the  quantity 
of  sulfate  or  muriate  of  potash,  as  the  case  may  be.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  potash  is  not  sold  commonly  in  the  form 
of  "actual  potash"  (K2O,)  but  as  sulfate  of  potash, 
muriate  of  potash,-  sulfate  of  potash-magnesia,  etc.  Sul- 
fate of  potash  is  simply  actual  potash  chemically  combined 
with  sulfuric  acid;  and  muriate  of  potash,  actual  potash 
combined  with  muriatic  (hydrochloric)  acid.  The  result- 
ing salts,  muriate  of  potash,  sulfate  of  potash  and  sulfate 
of  potash  magnesia  are  not  acid  but  neutral  salts. 


Manufacturing  the  Concentrated  Salts  25 

In  manufacturing  muriate  of  potash  from  the  crude 
minerals  found  in  the  potash  mines,  lime,  soda,  magnesia 
and  other  salts  are  removed.  Crude  carnallit,  as  it  comes 
from  the  mines,  contains  on  an  average  15  per  cent,  muri- 
ate of  potash ;  the  manufacturing  process  consists  in  sep- 
arating this  15  per  cent,  from  the  85  per  cent,  of  other 
crude  ores,  and  makes  use  of  the  chemical  knowledge  that 
these  other  salts  are  either  more  soluble  or  less  soluble  in 
water  and  other  solutions  than  pure  muriate  of  potash. 
The  coarsely  ground  carnallit  is  "charged"  into  a  large 
dissolving  vat  containing  a  boiling,  saturated  solution  of 
magnesium  chlorid  (a  by-product  of  the  process,  as  shown 
later).  The  mixture  is  agitated  thoroughly  by  means  of 
a  "blow-up,"  or  live  steam  jet,  and  is  boiled  until  it  shows 
a  degree  of  concentration  equal  to  3£  degrees  Beaume. 
The  contents  are  then  drawn  off  into  settling  tanks,  from 
which  the  clear  solution  is  run  into  crystallizing  vats  and 
left  three  or  four  days  to  cool  and  crystallize,  the  deposit 
containing  about  60  per  cent,  pure  muriate  of  potash.  The 
liquors  drawn  from  the  crystallizing  vats  are  boiled  dowrn 
(now  almost  exclusively  in  a  vacuum  apparatus,  but  for- 
merly in  open  pans),  during  which  process  some  chloride  of 
sodium  and  sulfate  of  magnesium  fall  out.  This  second 
solution  settles  and  runs  into  crystallizing  vats  \vhere  prac- 
tically all  the  potash  separates,  as  crystals  of  pure  arti- 
ficial mineral  carnallit  (KC1,  MgCL,  6H2O),  which  is 
treated  precisely  as  was  the  crude  carnallit  and  gives  a 
nearly  pure  muriate  of  potash  in  one  crystallization. 

The  crystallized  muriate  of  potash  thus  produced  is 
contaminated  by  chlorids  of  sodium  and  magnesium, 


26  Manufacturing  the  Concentrated  Salts 

through  adhering  solutions,  and  these  impurities  are  re- 
moved by  a  series  of  washings  with  water.  The  liquor 
from  these  washings  of  the  crystals  is  saved  and  used  on 
fresh  batches  of  the  mineral  ore.  The  crystals  of  muriate 
of  potash  are  dried,  after  washing,  and  are  from  70  to 
99  per  cent,  pure  (KC1).  The  last  "mother  liquors,"  or 
solutions  from  the  crystallizing  vats,  (from  which  all  the 
potash  has  been  separated)  are  used  for  the  manufacture 
of  bromine  and  chlorid  of  magnesium. 

The  muriate  of  potash  (chlorid  of  potassium)  manu- 
factured is  of  various  grades  and  contains  actual  potash 
in  the  following  proportions : 

Pure  Muriate  of  Potash  Actual  Potash 

80  per  cent contains   50.5  per  cent. 

95  per  cent contains  60.0  per  cent. 

98  per  cent contains   61.9  per  cent. 

For  fertilizing  purposes,  all  muriate  of  potash  is  sold 
on  the  basis  of  80  per  cent,  pure  muriate  of  potash,  cor- 
responding to  50.5  per  cent,  actual  potash.  Muriate  of 
potash  serves  as  a  basis  for  the  manufacture  of  many 
other  potash  salts,  such  as  nitrates,  chlorates,  etc. 

There  are  many  by-products  in  the  manufacture  of 
muriate  of  potash,  notably  magnesium  chlorid  and  sul- 
fate  of  soda,  which  latter,  owing  to  its  purity  and  free- 
dom from  acid  salts,  is  largely  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  the  cheaper  grades  of  glass.  From  the  residuum  of 
the  first  solution  of  carnallit,  treated  with  cold  water, 
kieserit  (sulfate  of  magnesia)  settles  out  in  fine  crystal- 
line particles,  and  is  moulded  into  blocks.  Large  quan- 


Manufacturing  the  Concentrated  Salts  2? 

titles  of  bromine  and  iron  bromide  are  obtained  at  the  end 
of  the  process.  Some  of  the  potash  factories  also  pre- 
pare calcined  magnesia,  hydrate  of  magnesia,  calcium 
chlorid,  carbonate  of  potash,  carbonate  of  potash-mag- 
nesia, etc. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  complete  extraction  of  potash, 
the  processes  of  manufacture  are  complex,  and  solutions 
and  salts  require  repeated  handling.  It  naturally  follows 
that  the  separation  of  commercially  pure  salts,  from  solu- 
tions of  other  salts,  is  an  expensive  process,  and  that  it 
is  only  by  the  most  painstaking  care  and  full  utilization 
of  every  possible  by-product,  that  potash  salts  can  be 
produced  and  sold  at  the  present  low  prices. 

Sulfate  of  potash  is  manufactured  in  less  quantities 
than  muriate,  owing  to  smaller  demand  for  it  in  the  market 
and  there  are  several  processes  of  manufacture.  The  com- 
mercial salt  sulfate  of  potash-magnesia,  containing  48  per 
cent,  of  sulfate  of  potash,  was  formerly  manufactured  from 
kainit,  but  at  present  most  of  the  works  use  muriate  of 
potash  and  kieserit.  A  mixture  of  these  minerals  in  a 
concentrated  solution  precipitates  the  sulfate  of  potash- 
magnesia.  In  the  manufacture  of  sulfate  of  potash  a  solu- 
tion of  sulfate  of  potash-magnesia  and  a  given  quantity  of 
muriate  of  potash  are  boiled  together,  whereupon  the 
less  soluble  sulfate  of  potash  separates  and  falls  as  a 
precipitate.  The  commercial  sulfate  of  potash  varies  from 
90  to  96  per  cent,  pure,  equivalent  to  47  to  52.7  per  cent, 
actual  potash. 

The  tables  on  pages  30  and  31  give  the  average  analyses 
of  the  more  important  potash  salts.  The  figures  show  the 


28  Manufacturing  the  Concentrated  Salts 

pounds  of  various  substances  in  100  pounds  of  the  different 
salts,  but  only  the  percentage  of  potash  is  guaranteed. 

The  numerous  by-products  obtained  in  refining  the 
crude  potash  salts  are  utilized  in  many  ways  and  for 
various  purposes.  Some  of  them  contain  20  to  30  per 
cent,  actual  potash,  but  in  most  cases  in  such  combination 
as  not  to  pay  for  necessarily  expensive  extraction.  Be- 
cause of  this  comparatively  large  content  of  potash,  how- 
ever, they  are  dried,  calcined,  pulverized,  and  mixed  with 
crude  salts,  or  other  poorer  forms  of  potash,  to  increase 
the  potash  content  of  these  salts  and  give  them  added 
value  for  agricultural  purposes. 

Besides  the  agricultural,  soil-restoring,  plant-feeding 
use  of  potash  salts,  large  quantities  are  consumed  by  the 
chemical  industry  in  Germany,  the  United  States  and 
other  countries,  in  the  manufacture  of  carbonate  of  potash, 
caustic  potash,  nitrate  of  potash,  chlorate  of  potash,  chro- 
mate  and  bichromate  of  potash,  alum,  cyanide  of  potash, 
bromide  of  potash,  permanganate  of  potash,  yellow  prus- 
siate,  and  other  compounds.  The  many  sided  technical 
and  industrial  activity  of  the  age,  in  almost  every  trade, 
must  have  potash  in  one  form  or  another.  Doctors,  pho- 
tographers, painters,  dyers,  cleaners,  bleachers,  weavers, 
soapmakers  and  electricians  use  it,  while  the  modern  rapid, 
cheap  production  of  artificial  cold,  of  preservatives,  fire- 
works, gunpowder,  matches,  paper,  glass  and  aniline  dyes, 
and  the  extraction  of  gold  from  its  ores  are  impossible 
without  it.  While  applications  are  thus  without  number, 
it  is  of  greatest  importance  in  agriculture  in  supplying 
plant  food. 


30 


Composition  of  Potash  Salts 


Composition  of  Potash  Salts 

CRUDE  SALTS   (NATURAL  PRODUCTS). 


Kainit 

Carnallit 

Hardsalt 

Actual   Potash    (K2O)  ... 

12  8% 

o  s°; 

16.4% 

Minimum    Guarantee    (K2O)  .  . 

12.0% 

9.0% 

16.0% 

CONCENTRATED  SALTS   (MANUFACTURED  PRODUCTS) 


Sulfates    (Nearly  free  from 
Chlorids) 

Salts    containing   Chlorids 

Sulfate  of 
Potash 

90%    |  96% 

Sulfate  of 
Potash- 
Magnesia 

Muriate    of    P 
Min.     !    Min. 

98%      •  95% 

•otash 

80  85% 

Potash  Ma- 
nure Salts 
Min.    20% 

Actual 
Potash 
(K20)    ... 

Minimum 
Guarantee 
(K20)   ... 

50.0% 
47.0% 

52.7% 

27.7% 
25.0% 

61.9%  !  60.0% 

• 
- 

52.7% 
48.0% 

21.0% 
20.0% 

: 

SULFATES   (NEARLY  FREE  FROM  CHLORIDS). 


Sulfate 

of  Potash 

Sulfate  of 
Potash-Mag- 

90% 

96% 

nesia  (Double 
Manure   Salt) 

Actual  Potash   (K2O) 

50  0% 

5°  7% 

27  7% 

Sulfate  of  Potash   (KoSO4)    

90  6% 

97  2% 

49  0% 

Muriate  of  Potash  (KC1)    .    ... 

1  6% 

03% 

09% 

Sulfate  of  Magnesia    (MgSO4)     
Chlorid  of  Magnesia    (MgCl2)    . 

2.7% 
1  0«7 

0.7% 
0  4% 

28.4% 
0  5% 

Chlorid  of  Sodium    (NaCl) 

1  2% 

0  ^% 

2  2% 

Sulfate  of  Lime    (CaSO4)     
Insoluble  Substances  ... 

0.4% 
0  3% 

0.'3% 
0  2% 

70-14  5% 

Water  

2.2% 

0.7% 

4.5-12.0% 

Minimum  Guarantee 
Actual  Potash  (K2O)    

47.0% 

25.0% 

Composition  of  Potash  Salts 
SALTS  CONTAINING  CHLORIDS 


31 


Muriate  of  Potash 

Potash 
Manure 
Salts 

Min.   98% 

Min.  95  % 

80/85% 

Min.  20% 

Actual   Potash    

61.9% 

98.0% 

60.0% 
95.0% 

'  6.'2% 

0.2% 
3.8% 

'6'2% 
0.6% 

52.7  % 
83.5% 

'6.4'% 
0.3% 

14.5% 

"6.2% 

1.1% 

21.0% 

31.6% 
2.0% 
10.6% 

5.3% 
40.2% 
2.1% 
4.0% 
4.2% 

Muriate  of  Potash     

Sulfate  of  Potash    

Sulfate  of  Magnesia 

0.2% 

0.2% 
1-0% 

'6.2% 

0.4% 

Chlorid  of  Magnesia     
Chlorid  of  Sodium  

Sulfate  of  Lime          

Insoluble  Substances   

•Water  

Minimum  Guarantee  Actual  Potash  (K2O)  

48.0% 

20.0% 

NOTE. — If  potash  salts  are  exposed  to  moist  conditions 
they  absorb  water,  and  this  occurs  sometimes  during 
transportation.  In  such  case  the  salts  are  diluted,  they 
show  a  somewhat  lower  percentage  of  potash  which  may 
even  fall  below  guarantee.  There  is  no  real  loss,  however, 
because  the  weight  of  the  bags  increases  by  the  absorption 
of  moisture  and  the  amount  of  potash  in  them  remains 
unchanged.  On  this  account  in  making  State  Registra- 
tions to  comply  with  fertilizer  laws  the  80%  muriate  of 
potash  is  only  guaranteed  to  contain  48%  actual  potash 
and  90%  sulfate  of  potash  is  only  guaranteed  to  contain 
47%  actual  potash.  In  sulfate  of  potash  magnesia  a 
minimum  of  48%  sulfate  of  potash  and  25%  sulfate  of 
magnesia  is  guaranteed,  also  a  maximum  content  of  2.5% 
chlorin.  The  amounts  of  other  ingredients  shown  are  those 
usually  present,  but  these  amounts  are  variable  and  are  not 
guaranteed  in  any  of  the  salts.  The  color  of  the  crude 
salts  or  of  the  manufactured  products  has  no  relation  to 
the  purity  or  quality  of  these  products.  The  color  may 
vary  widely  within  the  limits  of  the  same  mine. 


F 


Commercial  Statement 

OR  sixty  years  the  world's  demand  for  potash  has 
grown  rapidly  until  today  it  is  over  eleven  million 
tons  per  year,  and  the  German  Potash  industry  alone  en- 
ables this  demand  to  be  satisfied. 

Previous  to  the  discovery  of  the  German  deposits,  pot- 
ash, as  used  in  the  arts,  was  derived  chiefly,  as  its  name 
implies,  from  the  leaching  of  wood  ashes.  The  supply  to 
be  had  from  wood  ashes  is  limited  and  there  are  a  few 
minor  sources  of  supply  such  as  potash  from  kelp,  from 
woolwashings,  from  beet  sugar  residues,  and  others,  all 
of  which,  however,  sink  into  insignificance  when  compared 
with  the  quantities  produced  by  the  German  mines. 

In  1880  the  various  mines  producing  potash  were  com- 
bined under  a  central  office.  The  organization  now  in- 
cludes about  115  mines: 

This  combination  has  about  510  executive  officers,  in- 
cluding 230  representatives  in  foreign  countries,  while 
the  mines  themselves  employ  in  round  numbers,  2,200  of- 
ficers and  35,000  laborers,  and  use  1,600  boilers  and  2,200 
steam  engines  with  220,000  horse  power.  Each  of  the 
works  has  its  own  railroad  track,  connecting  with  the 
main  line,  and,  in  seme  cases,  this  reaches  a  length  of 
about  71/2  miles,  and  most  of  the  works  have  their  own 
locomotives  and  railroad  cars. 

The  average  daily  output  is  3,670  carloads  of  ten  tons, 
but  in  the  best  seasons,  of  the  year,  which  are  the  spring 
and  fall,  it  reaches  as  high  as  5,000  carloads  of  ten  tons 
each.  The  following  table  gives  the  production  of  crude 
salts,  from  the  commencement  of  mining  to  the  close  of 
1911: 


Commercial  Statement 


Production  of  Crude  Salts 


(Metric  Tons  of  2,204  Ibs.) 


Year 

Carnallit 

Rock 
Kieserit 

Kainit 
and 
Hardsalt 

Sylvinit 

Total 

1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 
.1868 
1869 
1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 

2,293 
19,727 
58,303 
115,408 
87,671 
135,554 
141,604 
167,337 
211,884 
268,226 
335,945 
468,537 
441,079 
414,961 
498,737 
563,669 
771,819 
735,750 
610,427 
528,212 
744,726 
1,059,300 
950,203 
739,959 
644,710 
698,229 
840,207 
849,602 
798,721 
838,526 
818,862 
736,751 
794,660 
851.338 
782,944 
856,223 
851,272 
990,998 
1,317,947 
1,697,803 
1.860,189 
1,705,665 
1,844,036 
1,911,166 
2.239,710 
2.263,197 
2,534,789 
2.768,794 
3,280,726 
3,581 
4,441 

20 
68 
89 
75 
413 
1,143 
1,418 
226 
71 
47 
22 
7 
16 
5 
145 
151 
520 
761 
893 
2,082 
4,658 
11,790 
12.389 
11,970 
13,918 
14,186 
10,754 
9.354 
6,951 
5,816 
5,782 
4,807 
3,865 
3,012 
2,841 
2,619 
2,444 
2,066 
2,047 
2,335 
1,821 
1,553 
1,055 
2,731 
9,190 
10,359 
18,473 
7,388 
5,885 
L,664 

2,293 
19,747 
58,371 
115,497 
89,060 
141,775 
151,723 
179,527 
228,967 
288,598 
372,574 
486,626 
447,187 
424,730 
522,866 
581,752 
807,448 
770,274 
661,394 
668,596 
905,138 
1,212,435 
1,190,811 
969,455 
929,049 
959,474 
1,092,022 
1,238,150 
1,199,015 
1,279,265 
1,369,833 
1,360,977 
1,538,601 
1,647,999 
1,531,585 
1,782,479 
1,950,182 
2,208,328 
2,483,861 
3,037,035 
3,484,694 
3.250,835 
3,624,596 
4,053,499 
4,878,599 
5,311,351 
5.638,264 
6,014,261 
6,901.153 
8,160,778 
9,706,507 

1,314 
5,808 
8,976 
10,772 
16,857 
20,301 
36,582 
18,067 
6,101 
9,753 
24,124 
17,938 
35,477 
34,004 
50,206 
139.491 
158,330 
148,477 
228,817 
217,107 
272,369 
247,327 
237,629 
375,574 
362.611 
401,871 
512,494 
585,775 
689,994 
729,301 
669,532 
833,025 
1,012.186 
1,120.616 
1,063,195 
1,189,394 
1,432,136 
1,354,528 
1,582,867 
1,906.823 
2,405,536 
2,754,021 
2,788,973 
2,921,712 
3,268,290 
4,57 
5,26 



2,220 
28,329 
31,917 
32,661 
32,669 
49,140 
•~-  63,495 
76,097 
90,390 
84,105 
94,270 
100,653 
147,791 
190,034 
188,821 
196,140 
234,455 
230,622 
284,943 
304.143 
305,282 
344,749 
7,893 
4,843 

Potash  Consumption  in 

CALCULATED   IN   POUNDS   PURE  POTA 




f 

NEBRASK, 


.he  United  States  in  1910 


>ER  100  ACRES  OF  CULTIVATED  LAND 


38  Commercial  Statement 

These  salts  were  either  sold  directly  from  the  mines,  for 
agricultural  purposes,  or  manufactured  into  more  con- 
centrated potash  products  for  use  in  agriculture,  or  in  the 
arts  and  other  manufactures.  The  table  on  page  40  shows 
the  use  made  of  the  various  salts,  from  1880  to  the  close 
of  1911.  The  greater  part  of  the  crude  salts,  manufac- 
tured into  concentrated  products  was  converted  into  muri- 
ate of  potash.  The  table  on  opposite  page  gives,  in  metric 
tons  of  2,204  pounds  each,  full  detailed  data  as  to  the 
various  concentrated  salts  produced  from  1878  to  the 
close  of  1911. 

The  chart  on  page  42,  illustrates  the  consumption  in  the 
United  States  of  pure  potash  contained  in  the  various 
potash  salts  for  the  years  1895  to  the  end  of  1911  and 
shows  the  progress  of  potash  consumption  made  during 
that  time. 

The  table  on  pages  44  and  45,  shows  the  total  quantities 
of  the  various  potash  salts  and  of  pure  potash  contained  in 
them  that  were  imported  into  the  United  States  during 
various  years.  It  is  of  interest  to  emphasize  the  fact  that 
the  quantities  imported  for  agricultural  purposes  in  1911 
were  1,002,326  tons  and  for  the  industries  22,828  tons 
and  for  both  agriculture  and  industries  1,025,154  tons. 
The  transportation  of  this  enormous  weight  would  require 
256  steamers  of  4,000  tons  each,  and  is  represented  in  the 
illustration  on  page  51. 

The  greater  part  of  the  total  potash  production  as  has 
been  before  stated,  is  used  for  agricultural  purposes, — 
that  is,  as  food  for  plants,  as  the  following  table,  giving 


Commercial  Statement 


39 


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flD^'»-CQ  c;  r*  L~'cf  >~'  *  ~f  —  —  ^" 

iO»O>»t-x  t-t-O  C2COCC  COt-  1- 


X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  —  ~  ~  C.  ~  r.  ~.  --  ;SOOOOOOOOOO'-I'-I 

x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  ^  r  x  x  c:  c:  c.  c:  c:  c.  c:  c:  cr.  r.  r.  r. 


TOTAL  OUTPUT  OF  CRUDE  POTASH  SALTS 


In  Metric  Tons 
1861  -  1911 


1 10,000.000  tons 


9,000.000 


8.000.000    - 


[]Kainit  and  Sylvinit-    - 
(Carnallit  and  Kieserit 


dl 


u 


I 


-7.000.000    •• 


6.000.000 


5.000.000 


4.000000    » 


3.000.000  - 


2000000  - 


1.000.000    •• 


61234567897012345678 


CONSUMPTION  OF  POTASH  SALTS  IN  UNITED  STATES 

FOR  AGRICULTURAL  PURPOSES 

1895  TO   1911 
In  Metric  Tons  KaO 

250,000  tons 
Potash  Manure  Salt 
Sulfate  of  Potash 
Muriate  of  Potash 

Kainit  and  Sylvinit 

^U 

200,000    •• 


150,000 


100.000 


1-450,000 


189596  97   98  99  1900  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08  09  1910  II 


A  COMPARISON  OF  AMOUNTS  OF  ACTUAL  POTASH 
USED  IN  AGRICULTURE  AND  THE  INDUSTRIES 

In  Metric  Tons  K2Q  ,  - ;  437,500tons 


Germany!: Apiculture 

7  I Industry 

.Other  Countries! Agriculture 

I Industry 


375,000   " 


312,500 


250,000 


187,500   " 


125,000 


62,500  •• 


189091  92   93   94    95   96   97   98  99  1900  01    02    03  04   05  06  07   08   09  1910  II 


44 


Commercial  Statement 


Consumption  of  Potash  Salts  of  All  Kinds 

Agriculture  and 


(In  Metric  Tons.) 
AGRICULTURE. 


Kainit 

Sylvinit 

Muriate 

Sulfate 

Tear 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

1895 

76,430 

9,477 

16,066 

2,988 

33,523 

16.929 

5.181 

2,518 

1900 

172,948 

21.446 

3,445 

630   50,789 

25,679 

11,426 

5,561 

1901 

225,139 

27,917 

2,506 

458 

51,973 

26,277 

12,756 

6.208 

1902 

220,642 

27.360 

2,135 

391 

54,432 

27,521 

12,780 

6,220 

1903 

242,183 

30.031 

1.420 

250 

57,045 

29,297 

17.801 

8,664 

1904 

302,760 

37.542 

3,087 

576 

69,540 

35,159 

14.539 

7.076 

1905 

385,794 

47,838 

2,998 

554 

75.614 

381230 

16.870 

8,210 

1906 

421,633  52.283 

18,689 

2  990 

98,471 

49,787 

21.598 

10.512 

1907 

367,714  4."..  .V.i  7 

12.627 

2,022 

95,544 

48.309 

.->.->  oo- 

10,818 

1908 

347,392  43,077 

13,813 

2,213 

92,540 

46,790 

2li242 

10,340 

1909 

404.611  150,172 

45,621 

7,332 

119.006 

60.172 

30,134 

14.f.i;s 

1910 

592,274 

73.442 

138,203 

22,112 

202,857 

102,569 

36,961 

17,990 

1911 

502,492 

62,310 

85,083 

13,613 

204,390 

103,344 

47,937 

23,333 

INDUSTRIES. 


Year 

Kain 
Salt 

t 
K20 

Sylvi 
Salt 

nit 
K2O 

Mui 
Salt 

iate 
K20 

Sul 
Salt 

fate 
K20 

1895 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 

8,432 
13  751 

4.258 
6.944 
7.333 
7.449 
6,738 
9.327 
7,317 
8,929 
8,238 
5.565 
8.429 
8,529 
11,306 

991 
947 
1.000 
1.050 
965 
1.397 
1.426 
805 
710 
772 
485 
769 
467 

482 
460 
487 
510 
470 
680 
694 
392 
346 
376 
236 
374 
227 



14,520 
14.751 
13,328 
18,448 
14.472 
17.661 
16.293 
11.006 
16.671 
16.869 
22,361 

. 

j 

Commercial  Statement 


45 


and  of  Pure  Potash  in  the  United  States  in 
in  the  Industries 


Snlfate  of 
Potash 

Manure    Salt, 
30%   28%   before 

Manure  Salt 

on  01 

Total 

Magnesia 

1899 

Z(J7o 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

Salt 

K20 

7,371 

1,909 

305 

85 

138,876 

33,907 

7  125 

1,850 

4,115 

1,234 

43,756 

8,751 

293,605 

65,152 

'    7,366 

1,912 

3,962 

1,189 

53,016 

10,603 

356,718 

74,566 

9,399 

2,440 

3,962 

1,189 

38,096 

7,619 

341,446 

72,739 

D,207 

2.390 

4,064 

1,219 

55,591 

11,118 

388,211 

82,970 

12,821 

3,328 

4,064 

1,219 

58,176 

11,635 

464.987 

96,536 

11,562 

3.002 

10,160 

3,048 

41,046 

8,209 

544,044 

109.093 

13,196 

3,426 

10,160 

3,048 

50,664 

10,133 

634,410 

132,178 

9,854 

2,558 

10.160 

3,048 

50,092 

10,018 

568,217 

122,370 

13,511 

3,507 

10.160 

3,048 

42,571 

8,514 

541,229 

117,489 

12.681 

3,292 

8,839 

2,652 

50,953 

10,190 

671,845 

148,479 

12,867 

3,340 

12,963 

3,897 

106,493 

21,319 

1,103,197 

244,911 

40%  579 

240 

15,991 

4,151 

12,565 

3,927 

133,867 

26,773 

1,002,326 

237,453 

Sulfat 
PotJ 
MagE 
Salt 

J     Of 

ish 
esia 
KoO 

Manure 
30%    287 
18S 
Salt 

Salt, 
9    before 

9 
K20 

Manui 
2( 

Salt 

•e    Salt 

)% 

K2O 

To1 
Salt 

tal 
KoO 

I 

9,423 
14,698 
15,520 
15,801 
14,293 
19,846 
15,899 

4,739 
7,405 
7,819 
7,960 
7,208 
10,008 
8,011 
9,321 
8,584 
5,941 
8,665 
8.904 
11.534 

18,466 
17,003 
11,778 
17,156 
17,638 
22,828 

46  Commercial  Statement 

the  total  amount  of  actual  potash  consumed  in  agricul- 
ture and  in  the  arts  during  the  years  1890,  1900  an  1911 
will  show: 

1890   1900   1911 

TONS,        TONS,      TONS. 

Potash  used  for  agricultural  purposes,     71,455    232,820    848,401 
Potash  used  for  industrial  purposes,         50,846      70,790      91,526 

The  diagram  on  page  43,  is  designed  to  show  graphically 
the  relative  consumption  of  actual  potash  (K2O)  in  agri- 
culture and  in  the  industries  during  the  years  1890  to 
1911. 

The  consumption  of  potash  in  different  countries  is 
best  shown  by  the  table  on  page  48,  giving  amounts  of 
"actual  potash"  used  in  each  case,  on  the  basis  of  a  ton  of 
2,204  pounds. 

The  colored  chart  on  page  52,  illustrates  the  consump- 
tion of  potash  in  different  countries  during  the  years  1900 
and  1911.  The  table  on  page  49,  points  out  the  consump- 
tion of  actual  potash  in  pounds  per  100  acres  of  cultivated 
land.  This  is  shown  graphically  in  the  diagram  on  page 
50.  Incidentally  but  strikingly  it  indicates  the  actual 
progress  in  agricultural  development  of  the  different 
countries. 

The  relatively  small  consumption  by  the  United  States 
according  to  this  table  is  scarcely  a  just  comparison. 
Much  of  the  cultivated  land  in  this  country  has,  in  the 
past,  been  "new"  or  "virgin"  soil,  to  which  no  regular 
applications  of  plant  food  have  been  supplied. 

The  consumption  of  fertilizers  in  the  United  States 
during  the  year  1910  was  (in  round  figures)  6,100,000 
tons  (2,000  Ibs.  each),  the  amount  of  potash  consumed  dur- 
ing that  year  was  approximately  250,000  tons.  The  table 


Commercial  Statement 


47 


following    shows    the    amounts    of    potash    consumed    in 
each  state,  also  the  amount  of  fertilizer  used,  the  aver- 
age per  cent  of  potash  in  the  fertilizers,  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  cultivation  and  pounds  of  potash  consumed  per 
100  acres  of  cultivated  land  in  each  state.     The  map  on 
page  36-37,  shows  graphically  the  amount  of  potash  used 
in  each  state  per  100  acres  of  cultivated  land. 
Potash  and  Fertilizer  Statistics  in  the  United 
States  for  1910 

(Tons  in  this  table  are  short  tons  of  2,000  Ibs.) 


State 

Potash 
Con- 
sumption 
Tons 

Average 
Potash 
Content  in 
Fertilizers 
Per  Cent. 

Fertilizer 
Con- 
sumption 
Tons 

Cultivated 
Lands 
Acres 

Potash 
Consumed 
on  Cultivated 
Lands,    Pounds 
per   100   Acres 

Georgia     

44,650 
42,706 
28,909 
22,475 
17,891 
16,500 
15,086 
12,990 
9,234 
9,086 
9,082 
8,334 
7,768 
4,408 
4,007 
2,983 
2,925 
2,533 
2,222 
2',088 
2,073 
1,854 
1,506 
1,490 
1,399 
1,322 
1,204 
1,162 
1,050 
566 
125 
93 
93 
57 
34 
25 
25 
25 
8 

3.51 
3.63 
4.09 
3.32 
5.65 
4.02 
7.79 
3.86 
6.86 
3.60 
4.64 
6.40 
4.56 
6.14 
2.69 
2.92 
6.52 
4.91 
3.38 
5.03 
4.62 
3.12 
4.13 
3.32 
3.95 
3.93 
4.05 
5.18 
5.20 
5.61 
5.58 
6.90 
6.90 
4.17 
3.00 
4.50 
4.50 
4.50 
4.50 

1,134,000 
1,048,806 
630,095 
603,483 
282,280 
365,897 
172,641 
300,000 
120,000 
225,000 
174,508 
116,085 
151,865 
64,000 
132,776 
91,085 
40,000 
46,000 
58,612 
37,000 
40,000 
52,985 
32,500 
40.000 
31,585 
30,000 
26,500 
20,000 
18.000 
9,000 
2,000 
1,210 
1,210 
1,210 
1,000 
500 
500 
500 
150 

10,424,400 
5,780,750 
6.160,000 
7,745),  <)<><> 
10,377,500 
6,902,700 
1,262,100 
8,862,000 
1,260,000 
2,347,100 
13,447,000 
1,650,600 
11,832,100 
813,400 
6,271,300 
4,751,200 
688,800 
7,966,000 
7,612,500 
498,400 
8,973,300 
23,052,000 
3,837,400 
5,643,400 
17,169,600 
19,603,500 
10,033,800 
1,143.100 
648,900 
124,600 
8,317,400 
2,977,100 
4,447,800 
20,900,600 
12,247,200 
20,626,900 
13',  726,  300 
17,049,200 
3,003,700 

763.7 
1,317.2 
836.7 
517.1 
307.4 
426.2 
2,131.2 
261.3 
1,306.7 
690.2 
120.4 
900.2 
117.1 
966.2 
113.9 
111.9 
757.3 
56.7 
52.0 
746.8 
41.2 
14.3 
70.0 
47.1 
14.5 
12.0 
21.4 
181.3 
288.5 
810.4 
2.68 
5.56 
3.72 
.48 
.48 
.22 
.32 
.26 
.44 

S.    Carolina    .  .  . 
N.    Carolina    .  . 
Alabama     

New  York    .... 
Virginia 

Florida     

Pennsylvania     . 
New   Jersey    .  .  . 
Maryland     .... 
Ohio 

Maine     

Indiana. 

Massachusetts 
Mississippi     .  .  . 
Louisiana     .... 
Connecticut     .  . 
California     .... 
Tennessee     .... 
Delaware     .... 
Michigan     
Texas    
W.    Virginia    .  . 
Arkansas     
Missouri     
Illinois     . 

Kentucky     
Vermont     
New  Hampshire 
Rhode   Island    . 
Wisconsin     .... 
Oregon     

Washington    .  .  . 
Kansas   . 

Oklahoma     .... 
Iowa    

Minnesota 
Nebraska    
Colorado     

48 


Commercial  Statement 


Consumption  of  Potash  in  Agriculture  in 
the  Most  Important  Countries 

Total  consumption  in  metric  tons  of  pure  potash  (K2O). 


Country 

1900         1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

Germany     

117,211    137,314 

137.277 

153,631 

187,919 

202  109 

United  States   

60,  152        75  053 

72  739 

82  970 

96  536 

109  091 

Belgium    

3,607         6.304 

3,266 

4,618 

5,770 

9  34  J 

Holland    . 

7,106         9,370 

8,605 

10,250 

11  452 

17  399 

France 

8  229         6  285 

4  938 

9  304 

9  985 

11  204 

England   

4,020         4,212 

4,683 

5,813 

6  390 

8  745 

Scotland 

3  370         3  752 

4  653 

4  370 

4  846 

5  630 

Ireland    

600             705 

570 

1,035 

1,228 

1  626 

Austria 

2,281         3,291 

3  177 

3  650 

4  885 

5  778 

Hungary     

108            245 

318 

356 

549 

470 

Switzerland 

1,026         1.691 

728 

1.420 

1,447 

1  327 

Italy 

1  379  "       1  306 

1  447 

1  5" 

1  995 

2  308 

Russia       

1,597         2,079 

2,486 

1,916 

2,176 

2,539 

Spain 

2,428        2,498 

1  55° 

2,841 

3  078 

3  185 

Portugal     

42               54 

66 

111 

208 

259 

Sweden 

8,197         9,303 

11  Oil 

9,096 

11,222 

14,391 

Norway     

286            320 

432 

526 

691 

975 

Denmark             

1,692         2,499 

2,415 

2,391 

1,889 

3,880 

Finland 

382            512 

880 

353 

250 

429 

Asia    

497            233 

444 

694 

1,015 

1,092 

Africa 

553            677 

395 

431 

462 

496 

Central  &  So.  America 
Australia 

515            520 
420            344 

658 
179 

514 
608 

354 
533 

487 
1.047 

Country 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

2°8  485 

240  779 

272  989 

305  960 

359  336 

422  341 

United  States   

132.249 

122,370 

117,489 

148,479 

244.911 

237,453 

Belgium   
Hollind 

8,376 
19  459 

7,240 

18  893 

9,206 
22  21  9 

9,485 
22  938 

8,987 
29  398 

9,101 
34  375 

15,465 

12,380 

15.345 

17.645 

22,850 

26  468 

8  791 

9  718 

8  579 

9  547 

9  935 

11  533 

Scotland          

5,79° 

5,905 

5,477 

5,335 

5,897 

6,564 

2  111 

1  989 

1  967 

2.269 

2  801 

3  190 

Austria 

6  841 

7  759 

9  518 

13  397 

11  814 

15  065 

667 

568 

760 

1,202 

1.343 

2,744 

Switzerland 

1  541 

1  744 

2  800 

3  075 

9  777 

2  678 

Italy          

2,819 

3,449 

3,251 

4,129 

5,601 

6,061 

Russia    
Spain 

2.525 
4  133 

3,594 
4  534 

5,567 
4  403 

8,838 
5  188 

14,548 
7  348 

17,079 
9  845 

Portugal              

348 

578 

329 

543 

791 

1,131 

Sweden                          .  • 

16  434 

17  880 

14,85° 

15  672 

16  697 

17  4.")-' 

Norway    
Denmark   

1.270 
4  469 

1,586 
3  658 

1,632 
3,807 

1,695 
3.474 

1,761 
4,367 

2,283 
5,632 

Finland                   

667 

1  015 

69° 

800 

989 

1  396 

\«;ia 

j.  310 

1  905 

1  6°9 

o  157 

3  210 

4  670 

Africa        

741 

579 

703 

962 

1,643 

2.293 

Central  &  So.  America  . 
Australia    . 

196 
1.137 

1,143 
1.211 

1.580 
1.333 

1,826 
1.454 

3,015 
1,826  ! 

3,905 
1.848 

Commercial  Statement 


49 


Consumption  of  Pure  Potash  (K2O)  for  Agricult- 
ural Purposes  in  Different  Countries 

(Calculated    in  Ibs.  per  100  acres  arable  land.) 


Country 

Arable  Land  in- 
cluding Past- 
ures in  Acres 

1900 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

1905 

Germany 
United  States 
Belgium     .... 
Holland    

86,625,399 
414,491,441 
4,659.506 
5,012,379 

298.3 
34.6 
170.6 
312.5 

349.4 

39.7 
298  2 
412.0 

349.3 

38.6 
154.5 
378.4 

391.0 

44.2 
218.5 
450.7 

478.2 
51.4 
273.0 
503.6 

514.2 

58.0 
441.9 
762.0 

France     

81,099,031 

22.4 

17.0 

13.4 

25.3 

25.2 

30  4 

England 

16  916  409 

52  4 

54  9 

61  0 

75  7 

83  2 

113  9 

Scotland     .  .  .  . 

3,641,413 

204.0 

997  j 

281.7 

264.5 

293.4 

340  8 

Ireland 

5  322  749 

24  8 

29  2 

23  6 

42  8 

50  8 

67  3 

Austria       .  .  .  . 

35,362,182 

14.1 

20.5 

19.9 

22.7 

30.4 

36  0 

"Hungary 
Switzerland   .  . 
Italy   
Russia 

42,863,206 
5,524,391 
39,895,910 
318  691  904 

0.6 
40.9 
7.6 
1  1 

1.2 
67.5 

7.2 
1  4 

1.6 
29.1 
8.0 
1  7 

1.9 
56.9 
8.4 
1  3 

2.8 
57.7 
10.6 
1  5 

2.4 
53.0 
12.8 
1  8 

Spain      

54,405,467 

9.8 

10.1 

6.3 

11.5 

125 

12  9 

Portugal 

11  3^9  499 

0  8 

1  i 

1  3 

2  1 

4  0 

5  1 

Sweden   
Norway        .  .  .  . 

8,622,409 
1  412  975 

209.5 
44  7 

237.8 
49  9 

281.5 
67  3 

232.5 
82  1 

286.9 
107  8 

367.9 
152  2 

Denmark 
Finland     .... 

6,305,259 
2,755,277 

59.1 
30.6 

87.4 
40.9 

84.4 
69.8 

83.6 

28.2 

66.0 
20.0 

135.7 
34.3 

Country 

Arable  Land  in- 
cluding Past- 
ures in  Acres 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

Germany    .... 

86.625,399 

581.4 

612.7 

684.6 

778.5 

914.4 

1,074.7 

United     States 

414,491,441 

70.3 

64.8 

62.0 

78.9 

130.2 

126.3 

Belgium    

4,659,506 

396.2 

342.4 

435.5 

448.7 

425.1 

430.5 

Holland  

5,012.379 

855.4 

830.8 

976.7 

1,008.8 

1,292.8 

1,511.7 

France    

81,099,031 

42.1 

33.6 

41.7 

48.0 

62.1 

71.9 

England    

16,916,409 

113.6 

126.7 

111.7 

124.4 

129.4 

150.3 

Scotland    

3,641,413 

350.6 

357.4 

331.6 

322.9 

357.0 

397.4 

Ireland    

5,322,749 

87.4 

82.3 

81.4 

93.9 

116.0 

129.2 

Austria    

35,362,182 

42.6 

48.3 

59.3 

83.0 

73.7 

93.9 

Hungary     .... 

42,863.206 

3.4 

2.9 

3.9 

6.2 

6.9 

14.1 

Switzerland     . 

5,524,391 

61.5 

69.6 

111.8 

122.6 

110.8 

106.9 

Italy    

39,895,910 

15.6 

19.1 

17.9 

22.8 

31.0 

33.5 

Russia    

318,621,904 

1.8 

2.5 

3.8 

6.2 

10.1 

11.8 

Spain          .... 

54  405  467 

16.8 

18.4 

17.8 

21.1 

29  8 

399 

Portugal     .... 

H',329,499 

6.8 

11.2 

6.4 

.  10.5 

15.4 

22.0 

Sweden 

8  692  409 

420.1 

457  1 

379  6 

400  6 

425.1 

446  1 

Norway    

1,412,975 

198.6 

247.4 

254.6 

264.4 

274.7 

356.1 

Denmark     .  .  .  . 

6,305,259 

156.3 

127.8 

133.1 

121.4 

152.7 

196.9 

Finland     

2.755.277 

53.3 

81.2 

55.4 

64.0 

78.5 

106.2 

RELATIVE  CONSUMPTION  OF  ACTUAL  POTASH 
m  FERTILIZERS  IN  DIFFERENT  COUNTRIES 


Calculated  in  IBs.  per  100  acres  arable  land 


1600  Ibs. 


---1200    » 


y-400    •• 


->-200     •• 


Consumption  of  Potash 

for  Agricultural  Purposes  in  Different  Countries 
In  Metric  Tons  Pure  Potash  (KaO) 


AustriaS  Hungary  2389  tons 

Sutoeriand  1026    - 

Italy  1379    « 

'Ussia  and  Finland  1980    - 

'  Spain  and  fcrtugal  2470    - 


Germany  Il72lltons 
50. 3% 


Germany  422341  tons 


The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

WHAT  has  heretofore  been  broadly  stated  with  re- 
gard to  the  importance  of  potash  in  agriculture 
merits  more  detailed  discussion  and  study.  In  almost  every 
type  of  farming  a  considerable  loss  of  potash  takes  place 
yearly,  and  unless  the  equivalent  of  this  loss  is  restored  in 
manures  and  fertilizers  the  reserve  supply  of  natural  pot- 
ash in  the  soil  will  soon  become  seriously  diminished,  thus 
causing  a  shortage  in  the  yield  as  well  as  defects  in  the 
quality  of  the  crop.  When  crop  after  crop  is  removed 
from  the  same  soil  and  sold  away  from  the  farm,  either 
in  the  form  of  grain  or  livestock,  the  natural  supply  of 
plant  food  is  gradually,  but  nevertheless  surely,  exhausted. 
In  consequence  of  these  losses  in  fertility  the  yields  di- 
minish year  by  year  until  a  point  is  reached  where  lands 
once  rich  and  profitable  are  being  cultivated  at  a  mini- 
mum profit  and  often  at  an  actual  loss.  This  gradual  but 
surely  diminishing  productiveness  of  the  soil  is  not  confined 
to  one  country  or  one  crop  alone,  but  prevails  universally 
wherever  manures  or  fertilizers  are  not  employed  to  re- 
place the  food  elements  removed  by  the  growing  crops. 
The  practice  of  thus  depleting  the  soil  of  its  fertility, 
commonly  termed  "wearing  out  the  soil"  is  now  known 
to  be  due  to  the  exhaustion  of  its  supply  of  "plant  food," 
which  term  is  the  one  usually  applied  in  speaking  of  the 
chemical  substances  essential  to  plant  growth. 

The  three  most  important  of  the  essential  plant  food 
ingredients  are  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and  potash. 
All  three  of  these  ingredients  are  largely  demanded  by 


54  The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

growing  crops  and  as  the  natural  supply  is  limited,  are 
usually  found  deficient  in  soils  which  have  been  culti- 
vated for  a  number  of  years.  The  importance  of  these 
elements  in  the  functions  of  plant  life  makes  it  impera- 
tive that  everyone  dependent  upon  the  soil  for  a  living 
should  become  familiar  with  their  various  functions,  the 
sources  of  supply  and  relative  values  of  each.  Complete 
commercial  fertilizers  derive  their  comparative  values  from 
the  adjustment  of  the  percentages  of  these  three  elements 
to  the  needs  of  the  several  soils  and  the  various  crops 
grown.  In  this  connection  the  word  "essential"  is  de- 
liberately used  and  is  accurately  applied  in  speaking  of 
all  three  elements  most  deficient  in  average  soils.  The 
necessity  of  potash  as  an  ingredient  of  plant  food  is 
just  as  great  as  that  of  nitrogen  or  phosphoric  acid, 
which  fact  must  not  be  overlooked  in  noting  the  promi- 
nence and  amount  of  space  devoted  in  this  work  to  dis- 
cussion of  the  importance  and  necessity  of  potash.  Ex- 
periments carried  out  by  Hellriegel  and  Wilfarth,  in  Ger- 
many, by  Gilbert  and  Lawres,  in  England,  and  by  many 
of  the  state  experiment  stations  and  scientists  in  the 
United  States,  have  proven  beyond  doubt  the  necessity  of 
potash  compounds  in  plant  growth. 

The  chief  function  of  potash  in  plant  life  is  known  to 
be  intimately  concerned  writh  several  of  the  important 
forms  of  vegetative  activity.  The  effect  of  potash  com- 
pounds upon  plant  growth  and  products  is  evidenced  in 
a  number  of  different  ways,  which  may  be  conveniently 
stated  under  separate  headings  as  presented  in  the  publi- 


The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture  55 

cation  "Fertilizers  and  Crops"  by  Dr.  Van  Slyke,  Chemist 
of  the  New  York  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  from 
which  the  following  is  freely  quoted: 

(1)  Influence  of  Potash  upon  the  Formation  of  Carbo- 
hydrates : 

Potash  is  essential  to  carbon  assimilation  and  in  the 
absence  of  this  element  the  manufacture  of  carbohydrates 
in  the  leaf  and  green  parts  of  the  stem  is  at  once  brought 
to  a  standstill.  With  the  failure  of  this  vital  function  all 
life  activity  ceases  and  plants  wither  and  die.  The  forma- 
tion of  starch,  sugar,  cellulose  and  other  carbohydrates 
which  form  the  major  part  of  all  agricultural  crops  is 
absolutely  dependent  upon  the  presence  of  potash  com- 
pounds within  the  body  of  the  plant.  Plants  especially 
rich  in  carbohydrates  contain  much  potash. 

(2)  Effect  of  Potash  upon  the  Formation  and  Trans- 
ference of  Starch: 

Experimental  evidence  indicates  that  potash  compounds 
not  only  control  the  formation  of  carbohydrates,  but  also 
aid  in  the  transference  of  starch  from  one  part  of  the 
plant  to  another.  Potash  changes  insoluble  starch  within 
the  plant  cells  into  sugar  or  other  soluble  compounds,  in 
which  forms  it  is  able  to  gradually  pass  through  the  cell 
tissues  and  be  transported  to  the  fruit  or  seed,  where  it 
accumulates  and  changes  back  into  its  usual  insoluble  con- 
dition. In  the  absence  of  potash  crops  will  not  grow  and 
starch  will  neither  form  in  the  chlorophyl  grains  nor  move 
to  other  parts  of  the  plant. 


56  The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

(3)  Relation  of  Potash  to  Protoplasm : 

Potash  compounds  appear  to  be  intimately  associated 
with  the  formation  and  activity  of  protoplasm  within  the 
plant  cells ;  protoplasmic  action  is  the  basis  of  all  life 
activity  and  growth,  hence  all  controlling  factors  are  of 
vital  importance. 

(4)  Effect  of  Potash  on  Plant  Cells: 

Plant  cells  maintain  the  conditions  of  highest  activity 
only  when  well  distended  or  swollen,  a  condition  technically 
known  as  turgor.  Potash  compounds  are  believed  to  be 
the  mineral  compounds  mainly  associated  with  this  im- 
portant action. 

(5 )  Effect  of  Potash  on  the  Growth  of  Roots,  Stems 
and  Leaves: 

Potash  compounds  have  a  recognized  importance  in  plant 
nutrition  because  of  the  marked  influence  exerted  in  the 
development  of  the  fibrous  or  woody  portions  of  the  roots, 
leaves  and  stems.  A  deficiency  of  potash  is  quickly  evi- 
denced by  a  weak,  brittle  growth  of  root  and  stem  and 
by  a  small  and  limited  area  of  leaf  and  root  systems. 
Trees  plentifully  supplied  with  available  potash  are  able 
to  grow  firm,  hard  wood,  and  are  therefore  less  liable  to 
damage  by  cold  and  the  attacks  of  insects. 

(6)  The  Effect  of  Potash  upon  Root  Crops  and  Fleshy 
Fruits: 

It  is  well  known  that  potash  compounds  are  a  requisite 
to  the  normal  development  of  the  fleshy  portions  of  fruits, 
vegetables  and  all  root  crops.  Comparisons  of  the 
analyses  of  the  fruit,  leaves  and  new  wood  of  all  of  our 


The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture  57 

common  fruits  and  root  crops  shows  that  the  fleshy  parts 
contain  the  greater  portion  of  the  potash  present  in  the 
plant,  thus  substantiating  the  above  statement.  This  ef- 
fect is  believed  to  be  brought  about  through  the  intimate 
association  potash  has  with  the  formation  and  activity  of 
protoplasm  within  the  plant  cells.  Potash  is  recognized 
as  the  dominant  plant  food  ingredient  for  all  root  crops 
and  fleshy  fruits. 

(7 )  Relation  of  Potash  to  Plant  Acids: 

Potash  compounds  are  among  the  important  mineral 
bases  which  help  to  neutralize  plant  acids  and  form  the  im- 
portant acid  salts  to  which  the  flavor  and  color  of  the 
edible  portions  of  the  plant  is  due.  Thus  potash  is  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  high  flavor  and  excellence  in 
quality  of  fruits.  The  color  of  the  flowering  portions  of 
blooming  plants  is  directly  influenced  in  intensity  by  the 
amount  of  available  potash  in  the  soil. 

(8)  Effect  of  Potash  in  Influencing  Maturity: 

A  relative  excess  of  potash  compounds  supplied  to  cereals 
and  grass  crops  tend  to  prolong  the  period  of  the  growth 
of  the  stems  and  leaves  and  thus  delays  the  maturity  of 
the  crop.  This  is  especially  noticeable  during  a  season 
of  drought.  With  root  crops  and  fleshy  fruits  the  reverse 
is  true  since  potash,  through  its  effect  on  the  transference 
of  starch,  hastens  maturity  and  is  thus  often  the  means  of 
saving  crops  from  early  frost. 

(9)  Effect  of  Potash  on  Leguminous  Crops: 

A  widely  recognized  effect  of  potash  is  in  its  pronounced 
favorable  influence  upon  the  growth  of  leguminous  crops, 


58  The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

such  as  clover,  alfalfa,  peas,  beans,  etc.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  this  is  due  to  an  indirect  action  of  potash  in 
promoting  the  growth  of  bacteria  associated  with  the  for- 
mation of  the  root  nodules  by  furnishing  them  wuth  an 
abundance  of  carbohydrates. 

(10)     Effect  of  Potash  on  Resistance  to  Disease: 

Observations  of  many  scientific  investigators  show  that 
the  lack  of  available  potash  in  the  soil  is  coincident  with 
the  appearance  of  various  destructive  plant  diseases.  This 
is  especially  true  of  vegetables  and  root  crops,  the  cereals 
and  grass  crops.  The  conclusion  is  drawn  that  plants,  if 
deprived  of  potash,  become  an  easy  prey  to  parasitic 
organisms,  such  as  fungi  and  blights.  It  is  evident  that 
plants  furnished  with  an  unbalanced  plant  food,  are  apt 
to  be  weakened  and  in  this  condition  their  resisting  powers 
are  lessened  until  they  become  subject  to  the  inroads  of 
disease. 

To  the  scientific  reader  the  functions  of  potash  in  plant 
life  enumerated  above  will  make  clear  that  this  important 
ingredient  of  plant  food  is  indispensable  to  the  life  activity 
of  plants.  To  the  practical  farmer  it  will  be  of  additional 
interest  to  note  the  more  visible  effects  of  using  potash  as 
a  fertilizer  which  are  therefore  presented  in  the  following 
condensed  statements: 

Potash  improves  both  the  yield  and  quality  of  all  agri- 
cultural crops.  A  decidedly  favorable  effect  is  produced 
by  potash  in  promoting  the  growth  of  clovers,  alfalfa, 
beans,  peas,  etc.,  and  in  making  the  stalks  of  grain  crops 
more  firm  and  less  liable  to  lodge.  In  grain  crops  the 


The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture  59 

weight  per  measured  bushel  is  increased,  a  brighter, 
plumper  berry  is  produced  and  the  feeding  and  milling 
qualities  improved. 

In  the  case  of  hay  and  pasture  grasses  a  marked  im- 
provement follows  the  application  of  potash  fertilizers. 
Finer  and  more  nutritious  grasses  replace  the  coarser  va- 
rieties, the  herbage  is  sweetened  and  the  feeding  value  im- 
proved. 

In  the  case  of  beets,  potatoes  and  other  root  crops  the 
sugar  and  starch  content  is  increased  and  the  proportion 
of  "culls"  reduced.  Potash  is  recognized  as  the  most 
important  ingredient  of  plant  food  for  all  root  crops. 

Plants  grown  without  potash  make  a  weak,  brittle  growth 
of  roots  and  stems  and  have  small  and  limited  root  and 
leaf  systems.  Potash  strengthens  the  woody  parts  of 
plants  and  grows  trees  with  firm,  hard  wood,  so  that  the 
danger  of  winter  killing  is  greatly  lessened. 

The  appearance,  shipping  and  storing  properties  of 
grains,  fruits  and  vegetables  are  favorably  influenced  by 
potash.  Potash  improves  the  burning  quality  and  flavor 
of  tobacco  and  thus  controls  the  market  price  of  the  crop. 

Potash  strengthens  plants  and  thus  enables  them  to 
better  withstand  fungus  diseases  such  as  cotton  blight  and 
grain  rusts,  helps  to  ward  off  the  attacks  of  harmful  in- 
sects, such  as  grubs,  wire  worms  and  maggots  which  infest 
many  crops.  Kainit  is  the  form  usually  employed  in  com- 
bating the  attacks  of  insect  pests  and  plant  diseases. 

The  amount  of  potash  required  for  the  proper  and  best 
development  of  a  crop  depends  upon  the  nature  and  weight 


60  The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

of  that  crop.  Different  growing  plants  have  different  appe- 
tites and  necessities  for  potash  and  the  amount  of  it  which 
they  have  taken  away  from  the  soil  can  be  accurately  ascer- 
tained by  chemical  analyses.  The  following  table  shows 
the  number  of  pounds  per  acre  removed  by  an  average 
yield  of: 

Grain  and  Hay  in  rotation.  .  75  pounds  potash 

Oats 62  pounds  potash 

Potatoes 74  pounds  potash 

Sugar  Beets 143  pounds  potash 

Meadow   Hay    85  pounds  potash 

Green  Corn 164  pounds  potash 

Tobacco 103  pounds  potash 

A  common  four-year  rotation  in  the  northern  states  is 
corn,  wheat,  clover,  timothy.  By  it  the  amount  of  potash 
taken  from  each  acre  is : 

Corn,  yielding  52  bushels ...  82  pounds  potash 

Wheat,  yielding  25  bushels .  .  35  pounds  potash 

Clover,  yielding  2%  tons .  .  120  pounds  potash 

Timothy,  yielding  2  tons ...  94  pounds  potash 


Total    331  pounds  potash 

This  loss  of  331  pounds  of  actual  potash  means  an 
average  of  80  pounds  each  year,  or  an  equivalent  of  160 
pounds  of  muriate  of  potash.  This  must  be  replaced  in 
the  form  of  manure  or  fertilizer,  or  poverty  of  soil  will 
rapidly  follow. 


The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture  61 

Where  the  fodder  is  fed  to  cattle,  and  the  manure  re- 
turned to  the  soil,  part  of  the  potash  contained  in  the 
crop  is  returned  to  the  soil.  If,  on  a  farm  of  100  culti- 
vated acres,  one-third  of  the  required  potash  be  thus 
returned  (considerably  more  than  is  usually  saved  in  ordi- 
nary farming),  there  still  is  5,000  pounds  of  it  annually 
removed  from  the  farm,  which  must  be  replaced  by  some 
form  of  potash  fertilizer,  otherwise  the  original  condition 
and  richness  of  the  soil  cannot  be  maintained.  More  or 
less  potash  is  naturally  present  in  all  soils,  but,  for  the 
most  part,  in  an  insoluble  and  unavailable  form,  excepting 
that  very  small  part  which  is  freed  annually  and  made 
accessible  by  the  action  of  the  elements.  Even  this  original 
natural  supply  is  limited,  and  were  it  all  at  once  to  be 
rendered  soluble,  it  would  quickly  be  leached  out  by  rains 
and  so  completely  lost. 

In  the  beginning  of  vegetation  easily  soluble  potash  is 
absolutely  essential,  but  it  is  not  generally  present  in  such 
form  even  in  soils  which  contain  a  fair  supply  of  total 
potash.  The  importance  of  potash  salts  in  agriculture, 
therefore,  is  evident:  Farmers  must  use  them  to  make 
good  the  losses  due  to  the  growing  and  selling  of  crops. 
In  this  connection  it  is  worthy  of  especial  note  that  a 
part  of  the  fertilizing  substances  contained  in  barnyard 
manure  is  insoluble,  and  so  unavailable — useless  as  plant 
food. 

Scientists  and  practical  farmers  agree  that  the  by- 
products of  the  farm  (farmyard  manure)  returned  to  the 
soil  do  not  contain  plant  food  in  sufficient  amounts  or  in 


62  The  Importance  of  Potash  in  Agriculture 

the  right  proportions  to  give  the  most  profitable  returns 
and  the  loss  by  cropping  must  be  made  good  by  applying 
chemicals :  Nitrogen,  in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda,  sul- 
fate  of  ammonia,  tankage,  fish  scraps,  etc.,  or  by  grow- 
ing cow  peas,  clovers  and  other  legumes,  which  absorb 
nitrogen  from  the  air.  The  main  source  of  the  potash 
supply  is  the  German  potash  salts,  while  mineral  phos- 
phates and  bone  products  are  depended  on  for  phosphoric 
acid.  Chemical  manures  have  an  advantage  over  those 
of  the  farmyard,  in  that  they  are  readily  available,  cheaper 
and  more  agreeable  to  handle,  besides  being  free  from  weed 
seeds  and  disease  germs,  which  sometimes  occur  in  the  farm 
products. 

Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing 

HHHE  most  important  of  the  potash  salts  used  and  in 
•*•      demand   for   agricultural  purposes,  with  their  per- 
centages of  actual  potash,  are: 


1 

p 

Actv 

\Iuriate  of  Potash 

linimum 
er  Cent 
lal  Potash 

48 
47 
25 
12 
20 

Pounds  Actual 
Potash 
Per  Ton  of 
2,000  Ibs. 

960 
940 
500 
240 
400 

Sulfate  of  Potash  

Sulfate   of  Potash-Magnesia.  . 

Manure   Salt    , 

The  practical  farmer  is  frequently  confronted  with  the 
question :  "Which  of  these  potash  salts  shall  I  use,  and 
how  must  I  apply  to  get  the  best  results?"  The  following 
explanations  and  suggestions  help  him  to  answer. 


Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing  63 

Muriate  of  Potash  is  the  cheapest  source  of  potash,  par- 
ticularly in  sections  remote  from  the  seaports.  This  is 
because  it  is  a  concentrated  article.  One-half  of  its  weight 
is  pure  potash,  and  it  relatively  costs  much  less  in  trans- 
portation than  those  products  containing  greater  bulk  and 
weight,  but  a  lower  percentage  of  potash.  Muriate  is  the 
principal  source  of  potash  employed  in  commercial  fertil- 
izers and  is  well  suited  for  most  agricultural  crops.  It 
contains  considerable  chlorine  (46  per  cent.),  which  sub- 
stance is  considered  injurious  to  the  quality  of  smoking 
tobacco,  for  wrhich  crop  sulfate  of  potash,  although  higher 
in  price,  should  always  be  used.  Many  farmers  likewise 
use  sulfate  in  preference  to  the  muriate  on  oranges,  sugar 
cane,  potatoes,  fruits  and  tender  vegetables,  believing  that 
the  better  quality  produced  compensates  for  the  greater 
cost.  However,  deleterious  effects  on  quality  of  the  prod- 
uct can  usually  be  avoided  by  applying  the  muriate  of 
potash  several  months  preceding  the  planting  of  the  crop. 
By  this  previous  application,  the  injurious  chlorine  con- 
tained in  the  muriate  of  potash  is  washed  down  by  the 
rains  into  the  subsoil,  while  the  valuable  constituent,  pot- 
ash, remains  fixed  in  the  surface-soil  until  it  can  be  made 
use  of  by  the  growing  plants.  When  muriate  of  potash  is 
used  regularly  as  a  source  of  potash,  it  is  desirable  that 
the  land  receive  a  dressing  of  lime  about  once  in  five  years. 
This  will  heighten  the  effect  of  the  muriate. 

Sulfate  of  Potash,  and  Sulfate  of  Potash-Magnesia . 
These  potash  salts,  especially  the  first  mentioned,  are  the 
safest  potash  fertilizers  to  use  under  all  conditions.  The 


64  Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing 

sulfate  is  always  preferred  for  tobacco  growing,  also  for 
oranges,  sugar  cane  and  tender  vegetables.  It  deserves 
preference  on  soils  inclined  to  be  sour,  and  can  be  used 
in  large  quantities,  for  years  in  succession,  without  necessi- 
tating the  use  of  heavy  applications  of  lime,  which  are 
needed  when  muriate  or  kainit  is  extensively  used.  Sulfate 
of  potash  is  a  more  expensive  source  of  potash,  and  for 
this  reason  is  not  as  universally  used  as  the  muriate  of 
potash. 

Manure  Salt  is  another  source  of  potash,  of  which  it 
contains  20  per  cent.  It  is  similar  in  its  effect  to  kainit 
and  may  be  used  instead,  but  neither  one  is  recommended 
for  tobacco,  oranges,  or  in  any  case  where  there  would 
be  objection  to  muriate;  in  all  such  cases  sulfate  of  potash 
or  sulfate  of  potash-magnesia  should  be  taken. 

Kainit,  as  previously  explained,  is  a  raw  product  and 
contains  only  one-fourth  as  much  actual  potash  as  the 
muriate  of  potash.  It  is  much  cheaper  per  ton,  though 
at  a  distance  from  the  seacoast  the  potash  in  it  costs  more, 
pound  for  pound,  than  in  the  muriate,  because  of  the 
freight  and  hauling  which  has  to  be  paid  on  the  whole 
mass  regardless  of  the  potash  contained  in  it.  It  is  fre- 
quently preferred  to  the  muriate  on  account  of  its  marked 
effect  in  ridding  the  soil  of  injurious  insects  (cut  worms, 
root  lice,  white  grubs,  onion  maggots,  etc.).  It  is  also 
highly  esteemed  in  the  cotton-producing  states  as  a  valu- 
able preventive  or  remedy  against  "cotton  blight.'* 
Manure  salt,  20  per  cent,  potash,  can  be  used  for  the 
same  purpose.  Mangel  wurzel  and  other  cattle  beets  and 


Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing  65 

asparagus  are  particularly  benefited  by  kainit.  It  is  most 
effective  as  a  preserver  of  stable  manure,  and  many  prac- 
tical farmers,  though  knowing  that  muriate  of  potash  is 
cheaper,  still  prefer  the  kainit,  because  it  is  less  concen- 
trated, and  requires  less  caution  in  mixing  with  other  fer- 
tilizers and  making  composts.  In  sections  200  miles  or 
more  remote  from  the  sea  ports  it  may  be  so  expensive 
(because  of  freight)  as  to  make  muriate  of  potash  de- 
cidedly more  economical.  General  experience  has  taught 
tha.t  on  light  soils  its  effects  are  very  beneficial,  but  on 
heavy  ones  muriate  or  sulfate  of  potash  is  to  be  preferred. 
The  following  table  is  arranged  in  two  groups  to  dis- 
tinguish between  those  potash  salts  which  contain  chlorids 
and  those  which  do  not: 

CONTAINING   CHLORIDS.  FREE   FROM    CHLORIDS. 

Muriate  of  Potash.  Sulfate  of  Potash. 

Kainit.  Sulfate  of  Potash-Magnesia. 

Manure  Salt. 

Those  in  the  first  group  can  be  used  with  safety  upon 
most  agricultural  crops,  whereas  those  of  the  second 
should  have  preference  for  tobacco,  oranges,  or  wherever 
special  quality  of  fruit  is  essential,  and  wherever  the  more 
valuable  result  or  return  will  justify  the  use  of  the  higher 
priced  fertilizer. 

As  previously  explained,  potash  is  only  one  of  the  three 
essential  plant  food  ingredients ;  the  others  are  phosphoric 
acid  and  nitrogen,  and  all  three  are  of  equal  importance  in 
plant  life,  although  all  are  not  required  in  equal  amounts. 


66  Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing 

To  make  potash  fully  effective  as  a  fertilizer,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  use  it  jointly  with  phosphoric  acid  and  nitrogen, 
each  in  proper  proportion.  No  one  of  these  three  ingredi- 
ents can  take  the  place  of  another  in  plant  feeding,  nor  can 
an  excess  of  any  one  compensate  for  a  deficiency  of  a  sec- 
ond. Potash  salts  should  not  be  used  alone,  except  in  those 
cases  when  soils  such  as  muck  or  peat  soils  are  so  rich  in 
phosphoric  acid  and  nitrogen,  as  compared  with  potash, 
that  the  latter  alone  is  needed.  In  most  cases,  however, 
in  order  to  produce  the  best  effects,  it  is  necessary  to  use 
potash  salts  jointly  with  material  supplying  phosphoric 
acid  (acid  phosphate,  etc.)  and  nitrogen  (nitrate  of  soda, 
fish  and  meat  refuse,  cottonseed  meal  and  others).  A  mix- 
ture of  these  three  ingredients  is  called  a  "complete  fer- 
tilizer," and  complete  fertilizers,  as  sold  in  the  market, 
should  contain  potash,  phosphoric  acid  and  nitrogen  in 
different  proportions  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  various 
crops.  Each  farmer,  therefore,  must  be  governed  by  his 
particular  needs  in  buying  fertilizers.  The  value  of  the 
fertilizer,  as  already  pointed  out,  depends  entirely  on  the 
amount  of  potash,  phosphoric  acid  and  nitrogen  it  con- 
tains. If  potash  is  bought  separately,  then  the  other  two 
necessary  plant  food  ingredients  must  be  procured  also, 
or  else  that  which  is  supplied  may  be  a  practical  waste 
and  all  crops  fail.  In  the  rational  use  of  fertilizers,  close 
attention  must  be  given  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  upon  which 
they  are  to  be  used,  since  soils  differ  even  from  one  season 
to  another,  depending  on  the  preceding  crops  grown  and 
what  they  have  removed  from  the  soil  as  well  as  on  their 


Potash  Salts  for  Fertilizing  67 

original  formation  and  composition  and  the  kinds  of  fer- 
tilizers previously  used.  All  this  must  be  made  a  careful 
study  on  the  part  of  the  farmer  if  he  wishes  to  apply 
fertilizers  to  the  best  advantage  and  greatest  profit. 

In  conclusion,  every  farmer  is  advised  to  study  the 
work  of  the  Experiment  Stations  in  the  different  States,  as 
they  have  been  established  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on 
practical  field  trials  to  find  out  which  combinations  of 
plant  food  are  best  suited  to  the  various  soils  and  crops. 
The  results  are  of  value  and  importance  to  all  those  who 
earn  their  living  by  tilling  the  soil.  Time,  money  and 
labor  can  be  saved  in  this  way,  but  the  real  progressive 
farmer  will  not  only  keep  himself  informed  about  the 
experiences  of  others,  but  will  also,  to  a  certain  extent,  ex- 
periment on  his  own  account,  to  learn  which  methods  of  cul- 
tivation, rotation  and  fertilization  can  be  practiced  with  the 
greatest  benefit  and  profit  to  himself.  But  whatever  his 
conditions,  potash — the  producer  of  starch,  sugar  and 
strength  of  fiber,  flavor  and  shipping  quality — must  not 
be  allowed  to  run  down  in  the  soils  which  grow  his  crops. 


Comparative  yield  of  Corn  on  farm  of  Fred  Lightheart, 
Francesville,  Indiana. 


Fertilized  with  500  Ibs.  per  Acre. 
2*   Nitrogen, 
8$  Phosphoric  Acid, 
10$  Potash. 
Yield  per  acre,  75.7  bushels. 


Without  Fertilizer. 


Yield,  32.1  bushels. 


Fertilized  with  200  Ibs.  per  Acre, 

Muriate  of  Potash. 
Yield  per  acre,  73.4  bushels. 


"Without  Fertilizer. 
Yield,  32.1  bushels. 


The  yields  illustrated  in  two  above  photographs  were  secured  on  a  black 
sandy  soil  abundantly  supplied  with  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and  humus, 
but  deficient  in  potash.  On  this  soil  potash  alone  was  the  most  profitable. 
The  addition  of  nitrogen  and  phosphoric  acid  to  potash  only  increased 
the  yield  2.3  bushels,  which  did  not  pay  for  the  added  cost  of  the  nitrogen 
and  phosphoric  acid  in  the  fertilizer. 


;ft 


SWEET   POTATOES    FERTILIZED    WITH   PHOSPHORIC   ACID   AND    NITROGEN.      YIELD 
PER  ACRE  :   122%    BUSHELS 

EXPERIMENTS   MADE  AT  SOUTHERN  PINES,  S.  C. 


SWEET  POTATOES  FERTILIZED  WITH  POTASH,  PHOSPHORIC  ACID  AND  NITROGEN. 

YIELD  PER  ACRE:  250  BUSHELS 
EXPERIMENTS  MADE  AT  SOUTHERN  PINES.,  S.  C. 


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